Home
by teamdemonmonkey
Summary: After finding an abandoned baby on her way home from work, Felicity Smoak comes to the decision that she should be the one to care for this child. But it's not that simple. While waiting for a decision on custody, Felicity meets the charming Oliver Queen. She can't help but fall for him but is being an Insta-Family something HE wants? She's just trying to make this place a home.
1. People Help The People

**Hello everyone! So first Arrow fic! I hope y'all enjoy this. It's probably not for everyone but they say write about what you know and dealing with a newborn is something that I am pretty familiar with lately.**

 **So as anyone who's familiar with my writing knows, I always name my story and chapters after a song that provided inspiration. The song for this story is Home by Phillip Phillips. The song for this chapter is People Help The People by Birdy.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter One: People Help The People

Felicity sighed and scrubbed her face with her hands in exhaustion. She glanced at the clock and groaned when she realized it was well past midnight. She decided to call it quits on her current project for the night and head home. She logged off her computers and turned them off before dragging herself tiredly out of her office, locking it behind her. She got on the elevator and got on, jabbing the button for the lobby before sagging against the wall. She thought back to before she'd opened her own company when she had childish dreams of being able to work whatever hours she wanted and never having to have a late night again. If you asked her now, she worked longer hours than before.

She loved what she did. Really. Owning her own tech solutions company was a dream come true. They had a steady stream of business from all corners of the earth doing anything and everything related to computers. The cherry on top of her career sundae was that for the last year she'd been personally contracted by A.R.G.U.S., a super shadowy government agency, to do a multitude of things from hacking to finding paper trails. Things really couldn't be better for her in the work field. But after a particularly nasty hacker had wormed his way through A.R.G.U.S.'s firewalls, she'd been contracted by them to not only find him but to rebuild their web security. Rebuilding their firewall and security had been fairly simple –not to toot her own horn or anything. It was finding the idiot who had hacked them that was proving a little more difficult. This guy was good –obviously he'd have to be to hack into a secure government agency –and every time Felicity felt like she was making headway, she lost his trail only to have to start over again.

She jumped slightly as the elevator dinged and the doors open. She moved through the lobby, waving halfheartedly to the night guard before making her way out of the lobby and into the bracingly chilly air of Starling City. Rain was falling heavily and she cursed silently as she remembered that she'd had to park three blocks away. She trudged across the street and occupied herself by thinking of how warm her pajamas would feel and the soft comfort of her bed once she got to it. Tomorrow was a Saturday and that meant that she wouldn't have to be to the office until later if she decided not to work from home.

As she walked past a darkened alley, weak, piercing cries of distress broke her from her reverie. She stopped, eyes moving over the darkness, trying to locate the source of the feeble, anguished wails. She looked around cautiously, noting the seemingly empty streets and moved further into the alley. As another cry echoed into the night, she found herself moving quickly to a box tucked away behind a dumpster. She pushed the fabric draped over the box out of the way and nearly screamed. Inside the bottom box a pale, purplish infant was shivering, wrapped in nothing but a thin scrap of fabric and looking miserable, wet and half alive.

"Holy crap," she said, immediately shrugging out of her coat one arm at a time before gently lifting the tiny infant and wrapping her in the warm cloth. Felicity looked around frantically for any source of help. She leaned her head down closer to the baby in her arms and felt a surge of adrenaline as she noticed the raspy, hitched breath sounds. She began moving quickly to her car. She climbed in, only briefly panicking at not having a car seat, before she buckled her seatbelt and started the car, popping it into gear and praying that she didn't get pulled over. "It's okay, honey," she murmured moving along the mostly deserted streets towards Starling General. "Everything's going to be okay." She didn't know if her assurances were for the child in her arms or herself.

She pulled up to the emergency room entrance and hopped out, moving quickly through the sliding doors until she stood at the reception desk. The girl behind it looked up in boredom.

"Can I help you," she asked.

"I found this baby," Felicity nearly shouted, trying to keep calm. "I found her in a box in an alley." The girl jumped up, now fully alert and beckoned Felicity through the doors to her left. Felicity vaguely noticed her on her phone before a page for ER staff sounded over the intercom. Immediately nurses converged on her, one of them pushing a plastic bassinet. One carefully took the girl from her arms and placed her in the bassinet as doctors and other staff followed them to a room, drawing the curtain closed behind them.

Felicity felt cold and misplaced. Should she follow? Was she allowed? She glanced around her and noted several people staring. Some were sympathetic and curious while others held judgement and condemnation in their gazes. She decided to sit in the waiting room until someone needed her. She sat down, suddenly feeling infinitely more tired than before as the adrenaline began to leave her system. She rested her face in her hands. How crazy was this?! People didn't find babies abandoned in boxes in real life! Didn't they live in the kind of modern society where people had babies in hospitals? And if they didn't want them, they could at least drop them off at some emergency service building, no questions asked? Everything felt surreal and distant, like she was observing it all from a distance and not the comfort of her own body.

"Ma'am? Ma'am?" Felicity jumped as a hand gently brushed her shoulder. She hadn't even realized she'd dozed off. A man stood in front of her, looking uncomfortable and a little mussed, like he'd had to dress in a hurry. He flashed his badge and sat next to her. "Sorry. I'm Captain Lance with the SCPD. Are you the woman who found the abandoned infant?" Her mind was slow to process but when she finally grasped what he was asking she nodded.

"Yeah. Yes, that was me. My name is Felicity. Felicity Smoak." Captain Lance nodded reassuringly.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about tonight?" She nodded and wiped her eyes, forcing herself to wake up. "When did you find the infant?"

"Um, I was leaving work. I work at –own –Arrow Tech Solutions. I was leaving the office and walking to my car a few blocks away. It was somewhere around one, I think. I was walking and I heard the cries but they were weak and then I realized they were coming from a box and when I uncovered it, the baby was in there. She was pale and her breathing sounded wrong so I wrapped her in my coat and drove to the hospital. For which, I am sorry. I didn't have any choice. It's not like I had a carseat. I mean, I'm not even dating let alone having kids or anything. Which you so did not need to know. I'm sorry. Tonight has been… does this happen a lot? I mean babies being found in boxes is definitely not normal, right?" She forced herself to stop babbling and focus on her hands.

"Baby dumping isn't completely unheard of but there hasn't been a case of this nature in ten years. Was there anyone around, anything you saw that maybe seemed off?"

"You mean other than a newborn in a box in an alley? No. No one was even driving by. The alley was completely abandoned."

"Okay, thank you, Miss Smoak," Lance said and stood to leave her.

"Um, would it be okay… could I see the baby?" Lance turned to her and his expression softened.

"I'll check," he promised and she sat back again. A few minutes later a nurse came out to her.

"Miss Smoak," she asked and Felicity nodded. "The doctors are working on the baby right now. She has a severe case of hypothermia and possible pneumonia. We're running some tests on her. The social worker has been called. You can either wait here to talk to her or come back tomorrow during the day sometime. I'm afraid protocol says we can't let you see her until the social worker has been in." Felicity sighed.

"Um, I'll just… I'll come back tomorrow. Can I give you my number and if anything happens have the social worker call me?" The nurse nodded and Felicity pulled out a business card and a pen, quickly scribbling her cell number on it. "Thank you." She stood and grabbed her purse, moving out of the ER and to her car. She climbed in and forced herself to start it and pull out of the parking lot. Once she got home, she changed into her pajamas and then sighed. She felt dog-tired but she was also anxious, worry about the baby girl she'd found chasing any hope of sleep away.

After an hour of lying in bed and trying to force sleep to happen, she got up and went to her computer. If she wasn't sleeping, she might as well be productive. She didn't know who'd left that baby in the alley but she did know one scumbag who had evaded her pursuits for too long. She brewed a pot of coffee and brought it over to the computer with a mug. She logged into the A.R.G.U.S. server and began to pull up all her files on the hacker. She began retracing his movements, her fingers flying as code streamed on the screen before her. Her eyes moved over the computer-speak quickly before she stopped, going back and looking at a glitch in the numbers.

"Oh I am an idiot," she murmured, typing agitatedly and then gasping in triumph when a map finally popped up onto her screen with a bright red dot flashing at her. "Ha! Gotcha, you asshole." She took a sip of her coffee and blanched at the stale, cold liquid in her mouth. "Oh that's horrible." She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts before hitting the send button.

"Hello?" The tired and groggy voice on the other end of the phone reminded Felicity that it probably wasn't a normal hour to be calling people. A glance at the clock –six thirty –confirmed her suspicions.

"Oh Lyla. Hi. Sorry I didn't even realize what time it is. It's Felicity, by the way. In case you were wondering who to order the hit on, it's me. But I don't think you'll want me killed when I tell you that I managed to track down our elusive hacker. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner! He wrote in this weird backdoor program that I would have completely missed but I noticed the unusual number pattern when I was starting at the beginning this morning and I followed it. It wasn't easy, let me tell you. This guy, whoever he is, is adept at writing seamless code that mimics the program he's hacking into."

"Felicity," Lyla said tiredly and Felicity closed her mouth. "Why were you working on this so early? Don't you need sleep?"

"Oh. That. Yes. Well, I was going to come home and pass out and then go back into the office tomorrow to try again but basically, I didn't get home until around three and then I couldn't sleep so I thought I might as well give it a go again. And voila! Hacker on a silver platter."

"Well, thanks for the hard work. I'll dispatch my team to bring this guy in. Thanks Felicity. You're brilliant."

"Meh, it was nothing," she said offhandedly, knowing that Lyla knew as well as she did how hard this one had been to crack.

"Okay, well now you should try and sleep. I'll call you Monday." They exchanged goodbyes and Felicity hung up. She stood up and moved to the couch, pulling her softest blanket up over her and hugging one of the pillows. She didn't remember her head hitting the pillow before she was pulled under into the sweet escape of slumber.


	2. Stand By You

**Thank you for the wonderful response! Go Arrow fandom :D I'm so happy that you guys are excited for this story. I'm psyched to see where things go (because we all know that while I might have a plan, Oliver and Felicity tend to go off script).**

 **The song for this chapter is Stand By You by Rachel Platten.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

* * *

Chapter Two: Stand By You

Deep pounding knocks broke Felicity from unconsciousness and she groaned, peeling one eye open to look at the clock on her phone. Who was knocking on her door at ten? Didn't they know she hadn't slept last night? She dragged herself off the couch and turned the latch clumsily before pulling the door open a crack.

"Finally! I've been knocking for a good ten minutes. Why weren't you up already? I have coffee and donuts, I even got you- wow, Felicity are you okay? You look like you got hit by a truck." Barry Allen, her best friend, set down the drink tray and bag he carried and moved over to her worriedly.

"Gee thanks, Barry; you look great too," she bit out sarcastically. "I didn't get to sleep until close to seven," she croaked and moved back over to the couch, throwing herself on it unceremoniously. "I had what could be categorized as the craziest experience in my life and then I couldn't fall asleep when I came home, so I worked on that A.R.G.U.S. account –and cracked it, thank you very much –before I could finally pass out. And then my crazy hyper best friend showed up," she said pointedly.

"Okay, first: coffee. It will turn you into a human again." He handed her a cup from Jitters and she sipped it gratefully. "Now, tell me about last night?" She sighed and recounted her strange experience for the third time. Barry listened in astonishment as she told him about the infant and her discussion with Captain Lance.

"I just want to know the baby is okay, you know? I mean, she was so tiny, Barry. I felt like I was going to break her if I squeezed her too hard. And I'd also like to get my coat back."

"Well, you need to shower and then I will go with you to the hospital to get an update and your coat back. Come on," he said, pulling her up from the couch and leading her into the bathroom, starting the shower for her. He left her to shower in privacy and she had to admit that the feel of the warm water moving over her face and skin refreshed her. She got out and wrapped herself in a towel. She pulled clothes from her closet and pulled her hair back before applying a light coat of makeup to her face, spending extra time on hiding the dark circles under her eyes. Once she was done, she and Barry left her apartment and headed for the hospital.

"So did Captain Lance happen to mention what happens to the baby," Barry asked.

"No. The hospital contacted the social worker but I don't really know what the protocols are. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to abandon a baby. That's the whole reason that safe haven laws exist. So he's probably looking for whoever left her in that alley. It's probably better that he find them than me; I don't think I could be trusted not to ruin them," she said darkly.

"You seem… kind of attached to this baby, Felicity," Barry pointed out hesitantly.

"I just… you didn't see her, Barry. It was hands down the saddest, scariest thing I've ever seen. I mean she was _brand new_. There is no way she could have been more than a week old. And she was just so small and sick. I don't know what it was but I just felt like I needed to protect her. It was so obvious that no one was in her corner, fighting for her and I want her to have someone who's looking out for her."

"Just… don't do anything rash, okay?" She didn't bother to answer as they pulled up to the hospital and parked.

"Hi! What can I do for you today," the friendly receptionist at the front desk asked when they entered.

"Hi. I brought an infant into the ER last night and they told me I could come back today and talk to the social worker," Felicity said uncertainly.

"Okay, what's the baby's name?"

"I don't know. She's not my baby. I- I found her. That's why I have to talk to the social worker."

"Okay. Give me just a moment." She pulled back to the opposite side of the desk and dialed into her phone, murmuring too quiet for them to hear and glancing back at them every now and then. She finally hung up. "It's on the fourth floor. The social worker said she'll meet you there." Felicity and Barry nodded their thanks and climbed into an elevator, hitting the fourth floor button. When they exited, they found themselves in a waiting room with children's toys and a Disney movie playing on the screen. A few kids occupied themselves under the watchful eye of a parent. A young woman with long blonde hair approached them.

"Felicity Smoak," she asked and Felicity nodded. "I'm Sara Lance, the social worker assigned to this case." They shook hands and Felicity introduced Barry. "So we are doing everything we can right now. The doctors are treating her for hypothermia and pneumonia. In cases like this, where we have no information on the baby or where she came from, we automatically designate them Jane Doe until we have some idea of their future. In Jane's case, she has a pretty good chance at adoption since she's so young. Not even a week old." Felicity nodded numbly, feeling like a weight had been dropped in her stomach.

"Is there any way I could see her? I'd like to see that she's okay now."

"Sure," Sara said and led them through the unit to a room near the nurses' station. Inside a tiny infant was hooked up to monitors and an IV while incased in a small plastic incubator. She looked even smaller, surrounded by all the medical equipment and wires. A small oxygen tube ran from her nose to the wall and Felicity felt her heart break at the sight.

"She's so little," Barry murmured.

"She was undernourished when she was brought in," Sara said. "Babies typically lose a few pounds after birth and then gain weight gradually as they get older. The doctors suspect that she wasn't fed for at least a couple days before being abandoned. It might have something to do with why she was abandoned. They have a feeding tube hooked up to her until her breathing is better." There was a knock on the door and Felicity turned to see a young man with a tray of medical supplies enter.

"Sorry, I just need to do her hourly blood draw," he said and moved further into the room. He put on a pair of gloves and proceeded to pull several supplies off the cart. He reached into the incubator and Felicity watched nauseously as he poked a small needle into the baby's leg. She immediately began to cry and Felicity's heart broke further. The baby turned red as she screamed in distress. Her screams were interrupted by pitiful coughs and Felicity moved closer to the incubator, eyes fixed on the little girl inside. She reached inside and placed a finger in the baby's tiny grip, something inside of her shifting at the deceptively strong grip. As she gazed at her, something in her mind and heart solidified. It was like an idea that she hadn't even acknowledged having. She had found this baby. She had taken care of her and protected her and she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to keep doing that. She felt like the baby in front of her was her responsibility and she felt irrationally angry at the thought of anyone else providing for her.

"What happens to her after she's discharged," she asked Sara quietly after the phlebotomist had left. She didn't miss the sharp look that Barry gave her but chose to ignore it.

"She'll be placed in the state's custody until a more permanent arrangement can be made," Sara said.

"So foster care," Felicity said.

"Yes. Like I said before, her chances of adoption are higher just because she's an infant."

"What about her parents," Felicity asked. Sara shook her head.

"Even if they are identified, they basically relinquished their rights to custody when they abandoned her. Child abandonment is a felony plus I know for a fact that they would be charged with child endangerment."

"What if… what if I wanted her," Felicity asked. Sara smiled kindly.

"It's a sweet thought but babies are a lot of work. Not to mention there's usually a list of suitable candidates that would precede you simply because they applied and underwent the process before you did." But Felicity wasn't going to back down. She couldn't deny the connection she felt to this child and the drive to protect and care for her.

"I'm a responsible adult," she said firmly. "I own my own company. I'm a stable adult with no history or medical or mental illness. I'm a relatively healthy, non-smoking woman. I think that makes me a pretty strong candidate," she said.

"Felicity-" Barry started but the look she gave him silenced him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Smoak. The decision is really out of my hands. You could apply and try and get custody of her but I'm familiar with the adoption process and it would be pretty much impossible to get vetted and approved in such a short amount of time. The state is strict about protocol; there's no way to bypass that, despite your credibility. Sorry." She left the room and Barry immediately turned to Felicity.

"Are you crazy, Felicity? Adopt the baby? You're not in any position to be a single parent? Do you know how hard it is to raise a kid by yourself? Especially a newborn?"

"First of all, I can be a single parent. If my mother could raise me alone on a waitress' salary, then I have no doubts about my own abilities. Second, this isn't some crazy idea I have, Barry. I can't explain the protective feeling I have about this baby but I have this need to take care of her, to love her."

"Fine, let's just say that all this is true. You heard her; there are protocols and a waiting list. It isn't to adopt, Felicity. Why do you think it takes to so long? The process to get the government to sign off on you takes months at the least." Felicity's gaze became resolute.

"I think I might know a way around that," she said, pulling out her phone. She ignored Barry's continued protests and hit dial.

"Didn't I just talk to you a few hours ago," Lyla asked wryly and Felicity smiled, eyes locked on Barry's disapproving gaze.

"Yes. Hey, I need a favor and I think you might be the only one who can help me."


	3. Forever (Pretty Little Girl)

**Sorry for the late update guys. They tell you to write about what you know but the problem with that is that I'm writing about a newborn baby while I have one. And they don't really cooperate with anything.**

 **The song for this chapter is Forever (Pretty Little Girl) by Savannah Conley.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Three: Forever (Pretty Little Girl)

"You know, I just saw an ad for golden retriever puppies in the paper. That's like a baby." Felicity rolled her eyes at her best friend's dry suggestion.

"I'm not getting a puppy, Barry. I know you think I'm crazy for wanting this baby but I have never been so sure of anything in my life. Not even knowing that I wanted to go to MIT." She walked down the street at a quick pace towards her favorite coffee shop. She'd just left from checking on the baby. Lyla had pulled some strings and made recommendations but there was still a somewhat lengthy process that she had to go through. Barry had been supportive but he frequently checked her resolve. She knew her actions seemed rash and to an extent, maybe they were. But Felicity had learned from a very young age to trust her gut and every cell in her body was telling her that she needed to protect and cherish this child. She and Barry had been friends long enough that he knew she could make her own decisions but she suspected that he was worried she was giving up on finding a man and having children the natural way. She wasn't opposed to dating. She just hadn't found anyone who would stay.

"I know, I know. So what are you doing now? Wait, let me guess! You're on your way to get coffee," he said knowingly. She laughed as she crossed the street.

"Caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate," she said, mimicking a dalek from Doctor Who. Barry laughed happily.

"You know, everyone thinks the biggest question of Doctor Who is 'what's the Doctor's name'. But that's not it. The real question is how do the daleks _build_ anything? Seriously; they have a whisk and a plunger for hands!" Felicity chuckled at the joke. He brought it up any time they watched an episode with daleks in it but she still found it amusing.

"You're a nerd," she teased good naturedly as she stepped into the coffee shop. The comforting, familiar smell of roasted coffee beans surrounded her and she felt rejuvenated already. The shop was mostly empty this late in the morning. There were a couple of women in workout clothes with cups of green stuff talking in a corner. At a table near the window, a man sat with his back to her, deeply engrossed in a book. She walked slowly up to the counter. The barista grinned at her with easy familiarity.

"Felicity Smoak, you are late! Your usual, I presume?" She smiled flirtatiously.

"Cisco, you know me so well," she said breezily and he laughed as he entered her order.

"Are you flirting with Cisco again," Barry asked suspiciously over the phone. "You better be careful, Felicity," he warned teasingly. "He might take you seriously and then you'll have to find a new coffee place when you tell him you were just using him for his access to the latte machine."

"You're a horrible person and I hate you."

"No you don't. You love me." Cisco called her name and she went up to the counter. He slid the coffee cup to her and then placed a muffin next to it with a friendly wink. She winked back and carried her items to a table by the window. She took a pull of coffee and sighed contentedly. "I ran into Dr. Wells yesterday," Barry said somberly. Felicity blanched. Dr. Wells had been Barry's idol from the time he was ten. He'd even taken Barry under his wing and given him an internship at Star Labs until Barry figured out that he was stealing his research and publishing it under his own name. Barry had quit despite Wells' best efforts to persuade him to stay and things could definitely be described as 'tense' between them.

"Did he say anything?"

"Oh yeah. He was with some young woman, his latest protégé, and he introduced me as 'what could have been the brightest mind of our time' if I hadn't 'treated my internship like high school'. Can you believe him? He has no class!"

"Please, he's as classless as a Marxist Utopia," Felicity said and Barry laughed. "What happened after that?"

"He stormed off like a prima donna with his sycophant." Felicity rolled her eyes at the older man's antics. For a world renowned genius, Wells had the attitude of a three year old. She noticed the guy who was reading a few tables across from her sneaking glances at her. She subtly checked her front for dropped food but only found pristine, blue cloth. What was he looking at?

All Oliver wanted to do was to read his book. Was that really too much to ask?

Judging by the not-so-quiet phone conversation the blonde across from him was having, it was.

Still, she was really cute.

He sighed into his book, rereading the last page for the fifth time in between sneaking glances at her from under his lashes. He didn't know what it was about her. Maybe it was the bright attitude she gave off even as a small crease appeared between her eyebrows. Maybe it was the bright colors she wore proudly –and well. Maybe it was that she had this whole cute nerd girl thing going on with her black rimmed glasses and Bluetooth headpiece in her ear. He couldn't say for sure why he was having a hard time concentrating but he felt mildly annoyed at himself for even caring. He'd given up on meeting women, hadn't he?

It wasn't that he didn't like women. On the contrary, Oliver Queen loved women. And women loved him.

And that was the problem.

He wasn't just Oliver with these women. He was _Oliver Queen_ , semi-famous heir to the Queen family fortune. Sure, he'd been a bit of a loose cannon in his younger days. As a trust fund baby with distracted, mostly self-involved parents, he really hadn't had a chance at fighting that particular cliché. But he had since cleaned up his act. He'd established two different charities in Starling City as well as started to take over running Queen Consolidated. He hadn't been in the tabloids in well over five years. And yet, people couldn't seem to let go of who he used to be. Women thought he'd be fun and reckless and were disappointed when he wasn't. Not to mention all the women that saw him as nothing more than a bank account. So what choice had he had, really? It was either give up on forming a real connection with someone or accept that he was going to be bankrolling some expensive lifestyles for someone he couldn't be sure didn't just love him for his wealth.

For some reason, the girl across from him didn't seem like the kind to care about money.

He shook his head in annoyance at the thought and scowled at his book as her warm laugh filled the café. He tried not to listen in on her conversation –who was she even talking to? –but she wasn't being that quiet and he found her presence to be quite distracting.

"…sorry I missed all the fun the other night because I had to work until two in the morning catching a bad guy," she was saying into the phone with mock regret. The person on the other end of the phone said something and she did a tiny fist pump in response. "Finally! Not that I didn't think it would happen but it's about time he proposed to her. Caitlyn's been more obsessed with gold rings the last three months than Gollum." A startled chuckle sounded and the blonde looked up to meet his gaze.

Wait, was that him?

"Yes, I know I've made that joke before," she huffed into the phone irritably. "It is too funny. Some guy in the café laughed," she said quieter but Oliver heard anyway and tried to hide his smile. "I'm hilarious," she defended seriously before sighing. "Fine, go to your crime scene, lab rat. I have a cup of coffee and a muffin begging to be eaten." She said her goodbyes and hung up. Oliver felt a wave of awkwardness descend between them and wasn't sure whether to break the silence or ignore it in the hopes that it would go away.

"I can tell a knock-knock joke if you're hard up for entertainment," she said and he looked up to see her staring at him, one corner of her mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief and he felt his heart stutter.

"Beg your pardon," he asked politely. She gestured to his book.

" _The Odyssey_ was pretty good but a little heavy for a Saturday morning, don't you think?" He laughed and shook his head.

"It's an old favorite. I read it once every two or three years." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Wow. Most guys I know can't even finish an issue of _Wired_." He laughed again and watched her cheeks grow redder.

"What can I say; I'm a unique kind of guy."

"Oh really? So you don't just read the Spark Notes of classics to pick up women," she asked teasingly.

"No," he said with a chuckle. "I don't know many women who would be impressed that I read classic novels."

"Yeah, I can't argue with that," she said sheepishly. "I'd apologize for my gender but I don't think it would change anything." He laughed in surprise.

"No, it probably wouldn't." He stood and approached her table awkwardly. "I'm Oliver," he said, reaching his hand out. She smiled and blushed before taking his hand.

"Felicity."

"Felicity," he said. "This is going to sound kind of cheesy but I swear you look familiar. Have we met before?" She smiled mischievously and gestured him closer. He leaned in.

"Do you watch a lot of porn," she asked conspiratorially. He froze, smile still in place.

"I'm sorry," he asked politely. She stared at him before she started laughing, bending over and trying to catch her breath. He realized the joke and sighed before he too started laughing.

"I'm sorry, I just… you should have seen your face," she said.

"I can imagine," he said happily. She looked down at her coffee while he rubbed his thumb and finger together. "So this will probably be a little weird but would you like to have dinner with me?"

"Not weird," she said and then dropped her head into her hand in embarrassment. "Sorry, I have a problem filtering. Yes… is what I am saying. I would like that." He grinned at her.  
"Okay. If you would be so kind as to put your number into my phone, we can make a plan," he said and she grinned before grabbing the phone from his hand and typing on it. She handed it back with a smile.

"No booty calls," she warned as she stood up and shrugged into her coat. "I know I'm a famous porn star but that means I work long days and so I can't have you calling me in the middle of the night asking if you can come over." He laughed in surprise and she stopped, her face twisting into mortification. "Okay I am going to leave before this no filter thing makes this _really_ awkward. It was very nice meeting you," she said quickly before walking out the door and into the light drizzle of the city. Oliver stared after her and then chuckled.

There was something about Felicity.


	4. Make This Leap

**I'm so happy you guys liked their meeting. I had some anxiety because I wanted it to feel as natural as possible and not like I was trying to force to strangers into falling in love with each other (which I am but that's beside the point).**

 **The song for this chapter is Make This Leap by The Hunts. I just LOVE this song! So perfect!**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Three: Make This Leap

"So were you ever going to tell me your last name is Queen," Felicity teased as Oliver navigated the streets. When he'd gotten off the freeway in the Glades she'd had a brief moment of worry that this handsome, nearly stranger was some kind of crazy serial killer. But knowing that he was one of Starling City's biggest celebrities calmed her down to a realistic plane of thought. There was no way he could be a serial killer.

"How did you find that out," he asked nonchalantly but she noticed that his hands had tightened on the steering wheel to the point of his knuckles going white. So he was sensitive about his name. Huh.

"I'm sort of… kind of… a professional hacker. I traced your cell phone number back to you. I don't care, you know. That you're kind of a local celebrity. I don't think who your family is or the name you carry determines who you are as a person." She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice when she said the last statement but she suspected that she wasn't completely successful because Oliver's grip loosened and he chanced a glance at her full of sympathy.

"If that's true, then you're pretty unique. Of course, I don't know why I'd suspect anything less from one of the most famous MIT graduates who now owns her own tech solutions company." She turned an impressed smirk on him. "Yeah, I Googled you. It might not be as fancy as tracing your name through your cell phone number but I'm not completely inept with a computer," he said with exaggerated smugness.

"Well color me impressed. So what did you find out about me?"

"Your name is Felicity Smoak. You're from Las Vegas. You got accepted early admissions to MIT where you started to make a big name for yourself. After graduating, you worked at a few different places to gain experience, including Queen Consolidated. About two years after graduating, you started your own tech solutions company which is now one of the top companies of its kind in the world. You are contracted with the government. Which I didn't get from Google but that doesn't matter. Now it's your turn. What do you know about me?" Felicity pretended to think really deeply about her answer.

"You're Oliver Queen. You're the oldest child and set to inherit your family's fortune and the oh-so-fun responsibility of running your parents' company. You used to be a wild child but you turned your life around about five years ago. I tried to find out why but you basically went off the grid so I'm guessing… rehab? You have a bachelor's degree in business which I'm very sure was your parent's idea. You don't go out much but you started and run two charities in Starling City and you also personally own some weird gym thing. But that's all stuff anyone could find out about you. Tell me something that doesn't show up on a computer." He smiled.

"That blank period you were talking about, when it was like I went off the grid? I was in Russia," he said before parking the car and getting out to open her door for her. She pulled herself from her shock and climbed out. They were parked in front of an old steel plant. The block looked dilapidated and forgotten. Over the new, reinforced steel door of the building was a simple sign in green, military style font that said _Verdant_.

"What is this place," she asked warily. She could be pretty game but an old steel mill was hardly her idea of a good first date place.

"This is my gym. We specialize in parkour and archery."

"You brought me to a gym for our first date," she asked dubiously. She recalled that morning when she'd woken up and turned on _PiYo_ and couldn't even make it through one rep of sit ups. She'd gotten, what, five? She didn't know much about parkour. Or archery.

"It'll be fun, I promise," Oliver said, flashing her a confident smile. He took her hand and sort of half pulled-half led her to the door. Her hand felt so small and safe in his large, warm, calloused one that she couldn't think of a clever argument.

"Isn't parkour that crazy thing where you run around pretending you can stick to walls like Spiderman," she asked after a moment, trying to remember. Oliver laughed.

"Kind of. It's a lot of running and jumping and cool flips and stuff."

"Okay," Felicity said. "Here's the deal. I know I look pretty hot and fit. And for the life of me, I do not know why that is. I eat junk food. I like food. Food that is not for rabbits or people who believe meat is murder. I'm the kind of girl who likes a big steak. So while I might look like I hit the gym for several hours a day, I'm not. I'm very uncoordinated. In high school, my teacher promised to pass me if I would just sit and stay out of everyone's way. So these flips and things you speak of? Yeah, I will probably die trying to do one of those. And our first date ending in my accidental –and probably highly embarrassing –death is not how I wanted this thing to go." Oliver listened to her, arms folded, a small smile growing as she became more agitated and her hands gestured wildly.

"Are you done," he asked after she took a few minutes to breathe. She nodded, eyes locked on his biceps as they flexed. "Okay, first of all: I like a girl who has an appetite. I don't trust women who eat only salads and count carbs; I feel like they're starving themselves until one night, they'll just snap and then suddenly I'll be dinner. Like zombies. Second, I don't expect you to be some crazy gymnast. But don't know this till you try it. And thirdly, I don't think this date will end in your death. In fact, I foresee the night ending very differently." Felicity's blush deepened as he started until she was sure she was a bright shade of tomato red. "So will you trust me?" She nodded and he smiled before leading her to the front counter.

"Oliver!" The man behind the counter greeted her date warmly. He was tall and well built, in a black t-shirt. He had a kind smile but there were hard lines on his face that told her that life hadn't always returned the favor. "How are you, man? I didn't know you were coming tonight." Oliver pulled Felicity up to his side.

"I decided to take this beautiful woman on a date," he said archly. "Digg, this is Felicity Smoak. Felicity, this is John Diggle, a very old friend." Diggle took her extended hand and shook it, eyes moving between her and Oliver before his smile grew.

"Felicity, it is an absolute pleasure," he said kindly and Felicity smiled back, charmed by his easygoing nature.

"The pleasure is mine," she said. "How do you two know each other?"

"Digg used to be my bodyguard," Oliver said. "After I cleaned up my act, he stayed on as the Queen family's head of security. He oversees things here a few nights a week."

"So, you'd be the one to ask about why Oliver was in Russia for five years," Felicity asked slyly. Diggle shook his head, a polite smile on his face.

"I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you," he teased and while Felicity laughed, she also felt like he wasn't entirely joking. This was a man who had clearly seen death and probably even delivered his share of deadly shots.

"I'll just have to settle for my own imaginings then," Felicity said. What does the son of a billionaire do in Russia for half a decade that he can't tell anyone about?

After Felicity had changed into some clothes from the gift shop –he hadn't realized the capris and tank tops they were selling were _that_ tight –Oliver lead her to the archery range. He grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows and guided the target back to a position that was easy for him but would probably give his date some trouble.

"So the whole thing about archery is how you hold yourself. The way you hold your body determines how you hold your bow." He showed her by taking his stance to fire the bow. His feet were slightly apart and his back was straight. He brought the bow up and used his mouth to anchor his hand as he drew the arrow back. He took a deep breath and released the arrow. It flew straight into the center of the target, burying itself deeply in the bullseye. "Now it's your turn." Felicity stood nervously, using one foot to scratch her other leg as she bit her lip, eyeing the target. She stepped up and took the bow from him, nocking the arrow and then pulling the bow up. He burst out laughing.

"Hey, I never claimed to be Robin Hood," she said.

"No," he said between chuckles, "but you're holding your bow like Errol Flynn in _Robin Hood_." She was surprised by the classic movie reference. "Here, relax your shoulders. Now turn your hips a bit." He grabbed her hips and turned them slightly. Her breathing sped up and she felt like his hands had burned where they made contact with her. She could feel tingles crawling up her spine and she closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on what he was telling her. His hands moved up to her shoulders, moving along her arms to position them properly. "Now take a deep breath and when you exhale… release." She could feel his warm breath on her skin and goosebumps erupted on her skin. She released the arrow and watched in a fog as it flew…

And promptly fell to the ground, several feet from the target. She bowed her head in defeat while Oliver snorted into his hand, trying very hard to give the appearance of composure.

"Oh look, I do archery about as well as anything but computers," she said sarcastically and he gave up all efforts at concealing his amusement. He began to laugh deeply and for a moment she stared at him before she began laughing too.

"Okay, so you need work. What do you say we try running around a bit," he offered and she nodded, setting the bow down carefully on the table behind them. She followed him towards the large room filled with green boxes, half walls and various equipment. "Just do what I do," he said and he immediately began to run, jumping over several hurdles, hopping up onto a box and then promptly jumping and flipping in midair to land on his feet. Felicity gave him a dubious laugh and he cocked his head to the side and just smiled at her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she teased. She began to run, surprised as she sailed over the hurdles. She sped up to launch herself on the box. Her foot hit the side and she felt herself falling before she landed solidly on her back. Oliver's face came into her vision, trying to hide a big smile. "I didn't fall," she wheezed out.

"No?"

"No," she said, accepting his offered hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. "I just wanted to do a trust fall with the floor." He began to laugh and then turned to her sheepishly.

"Bad first date," he asked ruefully. She considered for a moment and then smiled.

"No. Seriously, this has been fun so far. I mean, it wouldn't have even made the list for things I would have thought to do with you. But it's been fun and I like seeing you in this environment. I feel like this is how you spend a lot of time."

"It relaxes me. When my family or all the responsibilities of being a Queen starts getting to me, I come here and just let it go."

"That sounds nice. I don't really have a stress relief routine. I'm pretty fond of raspberry cheesecake ice cream."

"Raspberry cheesecake. I'll have to remember that." She felt a thrill at the promise of more dates and his eagerness to learn about her small, inconsequential habits.

"Felicity?" Felicity turned at the familiar voice and then froze.

"Lyla?" Her friend slash work liaison stood, a baby on one hip, looking at her in confusion.

"What are you doing here," Felicity asked in surprise, pulling herself from her shocked state.

"My husband works here," Lyla said, still not over seeing her top hacker at Diggle's gym.

"You're married to Diggle," Felicity asked in surprise. Lyla smiled.

"Yeah. This is our daughter Sara. Oh, hey Oliver," Lyla said, looking past Felicity and giving a little wave.

"Hey, Lyla. How do you two know each other?"

"Felicity is our top contract computer specialist. She's been an invaluable asset," Lyla said and Felicity blushed. "Oh, I meant to ask, have you heard anything from social services? I called everyone I knew and told them to get the process started and how great you are. Did they get back to you?" Felicity mentally cringed as she saw Oliver's face morph from happiness to confusion.

"Um, not much. It's still a process although thank you so much for pulling strings," Felicity said, feeling awkward.

"What's going on," Oliver asked politely.

"Felicity found a baby and we're trying to get the state to let her adopt her." Felicity mentally begged for Lyla to stop talking as she watched Oliver's eyes widen and glance at her. Thankfully, Diggle chose that moment to approach his wife and lead her away for his dinner break. Felicity felt cold seeping into her bones and began to bite her lip nervously.

"So you're adopting a baby," Oliver said and Felicity felt a deep wave of regret at what was likely to be the death of what had seemed such a promising relationship.

 **Stick with me.**


	5. Each Other

**So I apologize (not for the last time) that updating has taken so long. I know where this is going and what happens when, but I've had a hard time not letting Real Life kick my butt.**

 **The song for this chapter is Each Other by Maggie Szabo and Andrew Allen. I immediately thought of Felicity and Barry's dynamic.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Five: Each Other

"Why did I let you talk me into this," Felicity gasped out through labored breaths as she jogged beside her best friend down a mostly deserted park sidewalk. Barry laughed, turning so that he was facing her, not missing a beat.

"This is good for you. It releases endorphins and will prevent me from walking onto a crime scene and seeing your cold corpse on the ground after suffering a heart attack."

"Instead you'll just turn around and see that I've died from my lungs exploding," she sassed and he laughed happily. She let out a begrudging chuckle. Barry wasn't a health nut but at least twice a week, he forced her out of bed to go jogging in the park. While she complained and griped about the physical exertion and early hour, she had to admit that she always felt better after jogging around with him. Her head was clearer and she felt like she had a little more energy to tackle her day.

She suspected that Barry knew this too.

"A couple more miles and then you can die in the comfort of your own apartment," he said. "So how's _Oliver_ ," he asked in a teasing sing-song voice. She rolled her eyes.

"He's fine. We're supposed to go on a date tonight. He's taking me to dinner."

"This is your eighth date in a five week period. Are you two getting serious?"

"I don't know. I like him. He seems to like me, despite my obvious word vomit. But we haven't really talked about it."

"Has he mentioned the baby thing since your first date?" Felicity frowned.

"No. But I'm trying not to worry about it until it happens. If he doesn't want to date a woman with a kid, I don't want to worry about it until I'm actually a woman with a kid."

"That's really… practical of you. What if he doesn't want to date you if you get the baby? Will you break up with him?" Felicity stopped, stretching her arms above her head and mulling the question over in her mind. She'd wondered about that too. Eight dates wasn't a lot –and she certainly wasn't ready to marry the guy –but she liked Oliver. She liked the way he laughed and thought that her babbling was endearing rather than annoying. She liked that he made her feel safe and protected. He was without a doubt the greatest guy she'd met or dated in a long time. But she wasn't fighting for this baby for kicks and giggles. If Oliver didn't want to be an "InstaDad" then she couldn't see any alternative other than to end their relationship. The thought made her stomach clench and she tried to push the thoughts out of her head.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," she mumbled. Barry seemed to sense her melancholy thoughts and didn't push the topic. She was grateful that Barry understood her so well. "What about you? Have any girls caught the eye of the charming Barry Allen?" Barry shrugged.

"Not really. I tried to ask Iris out the other night but she thought I meant as a group thing and so now a bunch of us are going to see a movie."

"Why didn't you explain that you meant a real date?"

"I dunno. I was embarrassed. I didn't want to push her into it and make it awkward. It's not a big deal. Iris isn't the only woman in the world." Felicity picked up on the deflection immediately.

"If she still hasn't realized how completely wonderful you are and how stupid happy you could make her, she's not smart enough for you," Felicity said, wrapping her arm through his. He blushed and tried to shrug the compliment off. "I'm serious, Flash," she said, using her childhood nickname for him. "I'm not just trying to bolster your ego. You are a genuinely great guy and if she's not interested in everything you have to offer, you deserve to be with someone who knows she's hit the jackpot." He blushed profusely under her praise and rested his hand on hers.

"Thanks, Lis. I just don't know how she can't see how much I like her. We've known each other for forever. It feels really obvious. Is it not that obvious?"

"As a woman, we don't always pick up on when guys like us, especially guys we've known for a long time. Remember when Ray Palmer was 'madly in love with me' when we were twelve? I had no idea he liked me!"

"Yeah but now he's an investor in your company and you hold a seat on the board of Palmer Tech. When he finally got up the nerve to tell you how he felt, it didn't ruin your relationship."

"Iris will figure it out. Maybe you should just make a big gesture. I mean, the worse that happens is she finally realizes that you feel that way about her and tells you that she doesn't feel the same way. I know that seems like the end of the world but I promise it isn't." Barry was silent as he mulled the idea over in his head. Felicity's heart hurt for him. He had been crazy for Iris since he was eight and the girl still didn't have a clue. And sure, Barry had dated other girls. But none had ever made it longer than a couple months. Any relationship where one participant was hopelessly devoted to another person was pretty much doomed from the start. Hell, Barry had tried to get Felicity to date him. That had mostly ended in laughs and a whole night of him baring his soul to her over a quart of ice cream.

"I'll think about it," he promised, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "Thanks, Lis. I know you're probably tired of hearing me complain about it." She stopped, planting herself in front of him.

"Hey," she said, demanding his eyes meet hers. "You are my best friend. You've listened to me complain about boys, talked me out of trying to break an ex-boyfriend out of prison, supported me when I was crazy enough to start my own business and you've stood by me while I try to become a single mother. I care about you and hearing about your life makes me happy," she said fiercely. Barry finally smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so happy you're you," he said happily into her shoulder. She laughed quietly and squeezed him before stepping back.

"Felicity?" She turned and her stomach dropped.

"Oliver! Hi!" Oliver was walking up to her in measured strides, dressed in a pair of gym shorts and somewhat sweaty hoodie. He was smiling but she could see that it was a bit tight and his eyes kept moving over to Barry, sizing him up.

"How are you," he asked politely and she waved her hand nonchalantly.

"I'm good. Just out for a jog," she said airily, mentally wanting to bang her head against a wall.

"I didn't know you jogged," he said. "I usually do at least six miles in the morning. We should jog together sometime." Was it just her or was that comment a little pointed in Barry's direction?

"Oh, no. No I'm not a religious jogger. I don't even do it more than a couple times a week. I'm positive I could not keep up with you. I mean, look at you. You're like some sort of Greek god. You could easily run circles around me. I just do it because I get a donut as a reward." She clamped her mouth shut, cheeks heating as Oliver bit his lip, trying to hold back a smile like he usually did when she said something without thinking. "Sorry. I'm rambling. As per usual." Barry cleared his throat quietly, a hint to stop talking and introduced him. "Oliver, this is Barry Allen, my best friend. Barry, this is Oliver." They shook hands and she noticed that both of their biceps –Oliver's much larger and defined –flexed.

"Nice to meet you," Oliver said politely. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Since we were six," Barry said happily, sadistically enjoying the fact that Felicity was shooting him daggers at him.

"Wow, that's quite a while," Oliver acknowledged.

"Our dads were college roommates," Felicity explained. "Barry's basically family."

"Well, the best family members are the ones we choose," Oliver supplied and Felicity felt herself relax as the last of his stiffness melted away and was replaced by his usual warmth. "So, are we still on for tonight," he asked her.

"Definitely," she said enthusiastically, feeling like one of the blonde bimbos from a teenie-bopper. Barry hid a snort behind his hand, trying –and failing –to turn it into a cough. "I'm looking forward to it," she said with more reservation, glaring at him.

"Me too. I'll see you at eight," Oliver said. "I have to go. Diggle and I have a finance meeting in an hour. It was great to meet you, Barry. I'll see you tonight, Felicity." He jogged away. As soon as he was out of eyesight, Felicity whirled around and pounded her fist into Barry's arm.

"What is wrong with you? Are you trying to kill my chances with him?" Barry burst out laughing and she just glared at him.

"Come on, Lis, it was funny. He was so jealous!" She rolled her eyes and began to head towards the parking lot where they had parked. "Don't be mad, Lissy. It's my job to make him squirm. He so self-assured, it must have been nice to seem a little bit insecure."

"Okay, fine; it was." They hopped into the car and she pulled out of the parking lot and began to head towards her apartment a few miles away. "He's always so put together. I still don't know what he sees in me."

"Hey, don't be self-deprecating. You are great and he's lucky you give him the time of day." Felicity shook her head slightly. "Who's at your place," Barry asked as she pulled up to her street and parked at the end of the sidewalk. A blonde was standing at her door, back to them. She had a big bag on her shoulder and something bulky at her feet. Felicity shrugged and got out of the car. They walked up the sidewalk towards her door. The blonde turned around and Felicity felt her heart speed up exponentially.

"Oh, there you are. I was just about to leave a note for you. But I guess since you're here, we'll do this." Sara Lance reached down and picked up the bulky item at her feet. It was a baby carrier and sleeping inside was the –slightly bigger –baby girl that Felicity had been fighting so hard to make a part of her family. Barry whistled softly.

"Congratulations, Felicity, she's all yours," Sara said and Felicity felt like the world had just sped up and then stopped spinning suddenly.


	6. I've Just Seen A Face

**Felicity got the baby! What?! I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I understand the adoption/foster process doesn't work the way it does in this lovely little story. But I think this would be incredibly boring/depressing if I followed real life.**

 **The song for this chapter is I've Just Seen A Face as covered by Dawn and Hawkes. This captured the excitement and utter terror Felicity was subject to.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Six: I've Just Seen A Face

Felicity stared at the infant carrier in disbelief. She'd been doing this for an hour now. Barry was moving around the apartment, making phone calls and fidgeting. The tiny baby – _her_ baby –was sleeping soundly, tiny lips pouting and eyelids twitching occasionally. She looked so small. Felicity felt overwhelmed. She'd fought so hard for the chance to love this tiny girl and now that she had her, she had no idea what to do. A million thoughts were running through her head. She needed to get baby things! She needed a crib and a stroller. And clothes! How could she forget clothes?! She knew there was so much more that she was forgetting. She jumped up, panicked.

"I have to go," she said. Barry popped his head out of the kitchen, face twisted in confusion.

"What? She just got here. You can't leave."

"I need things. I don't have any stuff for her. I need… I need a crib. And those things that you use to wipe up vomit. I can't remember what they're called but I think you're supposed to use diapers? Oh my god, diapers! I need diapers! Babies go through a lot of diapers! And wipes! And that white stuff you wipe on them when they have a rash. And she doesn't have a thing to wear except that bag that Sara gave us. And binkies. Wait. Is she too young for binkies? And I need bottles. Is there a special kind of bottle? I heard that colic is really bad and I don't want to get her the crappy bottle that gives her colic. I need baby soap. I don't know what makes it different except that it smells like new babies. You know that smell? It's like magic or love or something. Where do I even go to get this stuff? Is there a baby store around here? Is there a store just for babies?" Barry grabbed her shoulders at this point and stopped her frantic pacing around the sleeping baby and her apartment.

"Felicity," he said forcefully and she stopped, staring at him, eyes still wide and crazed. "Stop. Slow down. Breathe. We can get this stuff for her. I might not know a lot about babies but you have friends who might know or who can ask their moms. Okay? No one expects you to just know everything automatically. First thing's first. What is her name?" Felicity's face went white.

"Oh god, a name! I didn't even think about what to _name_ her! I'm worrying about binkies and she doesn't even have a name!" Barry shook her slightly to stop her from spinning out of control again.

"Stop," he said firmly. "You have to have given it some thought when you were waiting."

"Sort of. I mostly thought about all the things I did _not_ want to name her. Obviously it would be too obvious to name her something like Zelda. Besides, only celebrities can get away with naming their kids something outrageous. I mean, Blanket? Apple? Kal-El? If you're going to name your kid after a super hero, don't choose something stupid like Superman's Kryptonian name! I had no problem thinking of names I would never name her! It's a lot harder choosing something when she's going to have it forever. What if I name her something that I love and she hates it? And has it changed to something like "Diamond Princess" when she's older?"

"I'm pretty sure she'll be more likely to want to be Diamond Princess when she's three," Barry teased and Felicity felt her face break into a smile. "Look, you're stressing too much. As long as you don't choose something insane –like naming her after a fruit –any name will do for her. Go with your gut. As for now, get your shoes on while I pack the diaper bag. We're going to go get stuff!" Felicity laughed lightly and complied.

"Look at this one, Lis! It's Green Arrow!" Felicity laughed, pushing a cart down the crowded aisles of the baby store –which was totally a thing –while Barry ran around like a flash of color, pulling things off racks to show her and tossing stuff in the cart without even asking if she wanted it. She appreciated how excited he was about this: it eased her immediate panic and insecurities enough to think logically. He didn't wait for her response and tossed the onesie in the cart loaded with baby supplies. She was pushing an emptier cart, most of the room taken up by the baby carrier while her daughter –because that didn't sound weird at all –snoozed away. She stared down at the soft curves of her face for the millionth time and smiled to herself when she let out a tiny sigh and moved her small hand above her head.

"Okay, so we've got a stroller, diapers, clothes, bottles, formula, binkies, a mat for tummy time, lotion, soap, washcloths, that awesome hooded towel that makes her look like a duck, a crib, crib bedding, changing pad, mobile, books, toys and that carrier-backpack thing. Are we forgetting anything?"

"I think with half the store in our cart, we've got everything," Felicity said only half sarcastically. "Let's go and grab lunch on the way home." Barry nodded enthusiastically and pushed his overflowing cart toward the checkout while Felicity followed. He began to load all the merchandise onto the counter quickly and the lady behind the register watched wide eyes, mouth half turned up in amusement.

"First time parents?" She asked kindly. Felicity quickly shook her head.

"No. I mean, yes, I am. But he's not- we're just friends."

"Oh honey, you don't need to feel awkward. I've seen it all," she assured them. Barry was trying to hide sniggers under his breath. Felicity turned red.

"No, I meant we aren't together. I just adopted her."

"Oh that's so sweet! There are so many children out there that need a loving family. Can I take a peek?" Felicity brought her cart closer to the register and the woman looked in and smiled warmly. "Oh isn't she just the cutest thing in the entire world! Look at those little lips! What's her name?" Felicity's smile faltered.

"I haven't actually decided on one yet," admitted quietly.

"That's okay, sweetie. Naming a kid is the hardest part outside of childbirth. Do you have someone to make the decision with?" Felicity shook her head, feeling more and more like she was lacking something she couldn't name. "Lucky you! You won't have to argue about why you want to name her something only to have it shot down. I wish I'd had it that easy." Felicity smiled politely and swiped her card when the total was announced. She had to take a deep breath at the high number but she knew that it was all necessary. Plus, she'd just gotten that bonus from Lila. She wondered if the woman had known that she'd be going on a shopping spree soon. "Y'all take care now," the clerk said and Barry and Felicity pushed their carts out of the store to Felicity's car where they played a game of real-life Tetris, managing to fit everything in (with some creative maneuvering and Barry having to hold three bags on his lap with another three at his feet.

Felicity stopped at their favorite burger joint and they took their food and loot back to her apartment. The baby was now starting to make little mewling noises of discontent and Felicity figured they couldn't have timed their arrival better. She grabbed a new bottle, washed in the sink and then filled it with water and formula –which smelled like rotten dirt, in her opinion –and grabbed her little girl. She settled her in her arm on the couch and placed the bottle in her mouth. She sucked on it eagerly, tiny noises of contentment sounding as she gulped and Felicity smiled, eyes getting a little hotter and blurrier as she stared at the tiny human she'd fought so hard for.

Barry finished bringing in their massive haul and sprawled on the couch, jostling Felicity.

"Careful," she whispered at him. He raised his head and winced.

"Sorry. I'm going to eat and then start setting some of this stuff up. Caitlyn said she had some stuff for you but that she wouldn't bring it by until after she's done with work." Felicity nodded, eyes locked on the small cheeks and mostly bald head of her baby. There were silky blonde hairs dusting her small head and her thick black lashes brushed her cheek.

"Norah," she said softly as Barry started to pull food out of the bag.

"What," he asked distractedly. She looked up at him, eyes watery but a happy smile on her face.

"Her name is Norah," she reiterated and she tenderly brushed a finger down her daughter's cheek , warmth filling her chest until her heart felt like it would burst.


	7. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

**I refuse to admit how long it took for me to decide on a baby name that didn't make me cringe in horror when I thought about using it throughout the fic. Naming OCs is kind of big deal with me because a name says so much about a person. So often I find incredibly weird names that detract from the story or completely generic ones that make it hard for me to take the plot and its characters seriously. So I'm glad you guys liked little Norah. Also, I LOVE Barry in this! He is such a great best friend and I don't even have to struggle to know what he would do and say in these situations. I think Norah and Uncle Barry are going to be thick as thieves one day.**

 **The song for this chapter is I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) covered by Sleeping At Last. Gorgeous!**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Seven: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

Oliver pushed away from his laptop and pulled on his jacket. He'd just confirmed his plans for tonight's date with Felicity. Excitement built in his stomach at the thought of seeing the beautiful, blonde woman he'd run into in the park earlier that morning. He'd known something was different about Felicity Smoak the day he'd met her and spending time with her had only solidified in his mind that she was a truly unique individual. He didn't know anyone in the world who babbled as much when they were nervous –or who made it such a cute habit. On top of beauty and humor, Felicity was genuinely an intelligent woman. She was well versed in several subjects and could hold her own in an argument. She was generous and selfless.

She was also trying to adopt a foundling infant she'd rescued from a box.

It was thoughts like that last that made Oliver have to stop and convince himself that this woman was, in fact, real and not a figment of his lonely imagination. Sure, he'd never thought about kids as being something in his near future and he'd certainly never considered adoption. But he couldn't deny that when Felicity had spoken of her experience with this little girl and the conviction she felt about being the person to provide for her, it seemed like the right thing to do. Like destiny. They hadn't discussed it much past that because after finding out that she had committed herself to such a monumental life change with only a single date under their belt, he hadn't known her well enough to make such a commitment. But he had to admit that every time he saw or spoke to Felicity, he felt more and more like he would adopt a dozen kids if it meant that they could be together.

But that was crazy, right? People weren't that sure after less than a dozen dates about a long term relationship. Were they? He didn't want to be rash; he'd left that behavior behind him five years ago. But he couldn't stop thinking about Felicity. Not in a distracting way where he couldn't be productive or function but he seemed to find reminders of her throughout his day and it left him feeling an emptiness that could only be satiated by talking to her or seeing her. She had managed to crawl into his heart and make a place there for herself and he had to admit that he had no desire to evict her.

His ringing phone pulled him from his thoughts and he picked it up, grinning broadly when he saw Felicity's face and name covering the screen. He answered it and took a breath.

"Hey, I was just thinking about you," he said, hoping his voice didn't betray the serious nature of said thoughts.

"Were you? Was it to call and tell me you have to cancel," she asked hopefully and his smile fell, heart clenching in disappointment.

"No. Do you need to cancel?" She was silent on the other end and his disappointment deepened. "Felicity, it's fine if you can't do this tonight. I know stuff comes up."

"It's not that. It's just… okay, well I'll just say it. After I got home from the park this morning, the social worker was waiting for me. With the baby." Oliver felt his chest tighten. "I had no idea that they were even close to deciding, let alone giving her to me. But there she was. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. It feels… unreal, kind of like I'm dreaming. But she's here. And… and she's mine," she said fervently and he could hear the tears in her voice. "She's mine and it hasn't been very long but I love her so much it hurts. It feels like my heart can't hold it all and when I look at her, I feel like my body is too small. Like it's too small to hold all this love and protectiveness. It's just so… oh crap, I'm so sorry. I was just calling to tell you that tonight I really need to stay here with her and try and figure out our routine and get to know her and here I am just spouting off these sappy, mushy, _deep_ feelings. I'm sorry, Oliver. I was really, really looking forward to tonight. Is this… is this okay? Are you okay cancelling?" A smile had slowly grown as she had babbled and now he was grinning into the phone.

"It's fine," he said sincerely. "I completely understand. You need this time. You both do."

"Thank you," she said with fervor. "Seriously, I know that you weren't expecting this and this is so much more than you signed up for when you met me." He was about to answer with a denial but a shrill cry sounded across the line. "Crap, she's up. I have to go. Thanks, Oliver. Bye!" The line went dead and Oliver frowned slightly.

So they'd talk later?

Oliver considered himself an intelligent guy. He'd been to college but more importantly, he understood people. He knew how to read between the lines and pick up on hints. So the fact that he hadn't heard from Felicity in three weeks seemed like an obvious rejection and he should just move on.

Except he couldn't. Not at all.

All of his text messages went unanswered and the few times he'd called Felicity's office, her assistant had said she was out of the office. By all stretches of the imagination, a complete cut-off said 'it's over'. But he didn't want it to be over. He wasn't done with her. And he knew that it wasn't just her, that being with her meant becoming an 'InstaDad', so to speak. And call him crazy but he _wanted_ that. He hadn't even met this child but he knew he could lover her, would love her with his whole heart just because he loved her mother.

He loved her.

 _He loved Felicity_.

The thought jerked him back to reality. He was staring out the window as the CFO of QC went over the quarterly budget review. He loved this woman with all of his heart. The last place he should be was in a meeting across town and not with her, assuring her that he was in this for the long haul. He stood up abruptly, interrupting whoever was speaking and all eyes turned to him, including his mother's.

"Oliver, is there something you wanted to say," she asked, tone telling him that the answer better be no.

"Sorry, I just… I need to go. Right now." He walked quickly from the room, barely noticing the murmurs of surprise and speculations behind him. He climbed into the elevator, Diggle not far behind him and rode it down impatiently, fingers tapping against his leg. Diggle chose not to say anything but truth be told, he had suspected that something like this would happen. Oliver practically burst from the elevator and moved quickly to his car, ignoring the few people who ignored or didn't recognize the determined and slightly crazed gleam in his eye and attempted to say anything to him. Diggle climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. The car moved and Oliver knew he didn't need to tell Diggle where he was taking him. They pulled up outside Felicity's apartment and Oliver took a deep breath before exiting the car and moving to the front door. He knocked smartly and waited with baited breath for an answer. After several minutes, the door swung open and the sight before him stopped him short.

Felicity –at least he was sure it was Felicity –was dressed in an overlarge pair of cotton pajama pants and a t-shirt. The shirt was covered with stains and spots, as were the pants. Her hair was half pulled into a messy bun but mostly falling out. It was dark and greasy, like she hadn't washed it in a few days. Her eyes had dark circles under them and her entire posture showed unfathomable fatigue. She straightened in surprise when she realized who was knocking on her door.

"Oliver? What are you…" she seemed completely confused by his presence at her apartment.

"Felicity," he said, trying to keep the breathlessness from his voice. "Listen. I know that a smarter man would have taken the hint when you didn't answer his messages and had your assistant tell him you weren't there every time he called. I know that when we met, you had no idea if you would get this baby or not. And I know that we didn't really talk about it because it was too big and too soon for us to be making decisions and declarations. But I'm not a smart man. Not when it comes to you. I hate that I haven't seen you in almost a month or heard your beautiful laugh. I get it, if dating me and having a baby is too much for you but I need you to know that it's not too much for me. I want nothing more than to be here to support you and your daughter and to love you both with everything I have because I do, Felicity: I love you. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes. I love you so much that I can't think of doing anything without knowing that you'll be there with me. And I'm asking you to please, _please_ give me a chance to prove that to you. I'm asking you to let me love the both of you." Felicity stared at him in a complete state of shock before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I accidentally ran my phone through the washer and haven't got my replacement yet. I've been working from home until I know what to do with Norah and it's been emails and my home phone," she said weakly, voice choked with tears. "I promise I haven't been ignoring you. But I wasn't sure that you wanted… this," she said, gesturing behind her and he saw diapers, clothes and various baby items sprawled across the furniture and floor. "And I was scared that you didn't. Too scared to actually ask you. And every time I go to call you or email you, Norah starts crying or poops so bad that it comes out every opening of her diaper and then I get so preoccupied cleaning up I forget what I was doing. And I haven't slept in more than a week," she choked out, almost in hysterics as tears poured from her face. "I'm so tired," she sobbed and he moved forward to catch her as she fell into his chest and wept. He shushed her and moved her into the apartment, kicking the door closed gently behind them. He guided her to the couch, quickly moving a stuffed duck out of the way and sat her down. "I don't remember the last time I showered," she cried, fresh sobs wrenching from her throat. Oliver chuckled softly and gently wiped his thumbs across her cheeks to clear the tears. "And then you show up on my doorstep and you say these beautiful things and I look like I got hit by a truck!"

"You do not look like you've been hit by a truck," he said and she gave a watery chuckle. "You are beautiful. Now, you go get in the shower. I will clean up and make you some dinner."

"But Norah," she said, eyes moving to a door past his shoulder that he knew was her spare bedroom. Or had been.

"I will take care of Norah," he promised, pulling her up and setting her in the direction of the bathroom. She walked unsteadily down the hall to her room and appeared a moment later holding clothes before she slipped into the bathroom. He listened for the shower to start running and then set about to complete his task. He combined all the toys and moved them to a basket at the end of the couch with more inside. He pulled out his cell phone and texted Diggle a grocery list after gauging the available offerings in the kitchen –which were few and far between. While he waited for Diggle to get back, he began to fold the tiny clothes littering the floors and furniture, trying –and failing –not to smile at the natural and domestic task as well as the size of the clothes. Diggle got back ten minutes later and brought everything in before leaving with a promise to drop his motorcycle off later so Oliver would have transportation. Oliver thanked him, ignoring the smug twinkle in his eye and got to work on dinner and putting groceries away.

He had just finished cooking steaks and was taking asparagus off the stove when he heard the soft pads of Felicity's footsteps behind him. She was in clean pajamas and her hair was still wet but she looked better. She was holding back shyly, fingers playing with the edge of the counter nervously.

"Feel better," he asked kindly and she smiled.

"A bit. Thanks for… this," she said, gesturing once again to the now tidy apartment.

"It's the least I can do. And it certainly won't be the last I do it. Now, I have a nice steak and some asparagus for you. Take a seat." She sat at the table and he placed a plate in front of her. She began to eat, slowly at first but picking up in pace as she had, what he would guess, was the first home-cooked meal she'd had in who knows how long. After dinner, he cleared the dishes, placing them in the dishwasher and led her to the couch. He flipped on the television and changed it to the BBC. _Doctor Who_ was on and Felicity smiled and snuggled up against him.

"Oliver," she asked softly.

"Hmm?"  
"Are you sure about this? That you want this… us?" He tilted her chin up and stared into her eyes before smiling warmly.

"I have never been so sure of anything in my life," he said and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away and she smiled back at him and buried her head in his chest. After several minutes, he began to extricate himself from her grip. "Want some ice cream," he asked and she laughed.

" _Please_ ," she declared and he laughed and went to dish some up for them. When he came back she was sitting up, leaning sideways against her pillow, eyes close and breathing deeply. He smiled and set the ice cream down before lifting her into his arms and carrying her to her bed. He pulled the blanket up over her. A small cry broke the silence and she stirred, frowning.

"No, sweetie, you sleep. I'll get her," he said and she relaxed back into the pillow. He closed the door partially behind him and entered the room next to hers. It had been decorated with an assortment of geeky things as well as some pink and girly décor. He approached the crib in the corner where he could see the blanket moving as small feet kicked it. He peered inside and smiled softly. Norah looked up at him, blue eyes bright. She stared at him for a moment, as though confused by this new face that wasn't her mother's before her mouth spread into a tiny, gumless grin. His own smile widened in response. He reached into the crib, gently cradling her neck and bottom as he pulled her out.

"Hello, beautiful girl," he whispered. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he said excitedly as he felt warmth spread through his chest and his heart begin to grow until his chest felt tight as this tiny baby crawled in there next to her mother.


	8. I Get To Love You

**My dear readers, this past week Jon Schmidt of the Piano Guys searched for his daughter, who has been missing for almost two weeks now. I don't know him personally but his music has inspired many a chapter and story for this little monkey, including their cover of Home which helped inspire this little fic. If everyone could just maybe take a second and send a prayer or a thought to his family, I'd appreciate it. This man and his music have inspired me beyond belief and I cannot even imagine the heartache that they must be enduring. This chapter is dedicated to the Schmidt family: children completely change our lives and there is truly no pain as acute as the loss of someone who so completely holds our hearts.**

 **The song for this chapter is I Get To Love You by Ruelle.**

 **Connect with me!  
Twitter: teamdemonmonkey  
Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**

 **Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Arrow or its characters.**

Chapter Eight: I Get To Love You

Felicity woke the next morning feeling well rested for the first time in weeks. She stretched groggily under the weight of her covers and then stiffened. Norah! She hadn't gotten up to feed her last night! She threw back the covers but stopped when the sound of tiny giggles and masculine noises drifted through the barely open door.

Oliver had come over last night.

It rushed back to her. His showing up out of the blue. His impassioned speech about wanting her –yes, _her_ –and Norah in his life. He'd held her while she completely broken down from exhaustion and a lack of personally hygiene and sleep. He'd _cleaned_ the apartment and cooked for her. She didn't remember falling asleep but he must have tucked her in and gotten up with Norah during the night. She grabbed her fuzzy robe from behind the door and moved out into the bright front room quietly. The sight melted her already tender heart.

Oliver was on all fours, hovering over Norah who was lying on her back under him. He would go down into a push up and rub his nose against hers before pulling up again while she giggled helplessly in her tiny voice. Every three or four push-ups, he would pause to chuckle at her or rub his nose against her belly, earning more giggles from her. Felicity smiled softly at Norah's flailing arms, certainly meant to grab Oliver's face but lacking coordination. After a few minutes, Oliver sat up laughing softly and noticed Felicity. He grinned, scooping Norah up into his arms and walking over to her.

"Look who's up, Norah. It's Mommy," he said excitedly. Norah gazed at Felicity and then broke into a toothless grin. Felicity took her from Oliver and pressed a kiss to her head, holding her closely. "We've already had breakfast, a bath and two diaper changes. I didn't know something so gross could come out of something so cute," Oliver said, grimacing slightly. Felicity laughed, tears pricking at her eyes. "If you come into the kitchen, there's coffee and bagels for you." He led the way while Felicity followed behind, murmuring quietly to Norah, who was cooing loudly. Once there, Oliver scooped the baby from her arms and pressed a mug of fresh coffee into her hands.

"Thank you, Oliver. This was… a lot. Too much. It seems like too much to ask of you after basically letting you believe I didn't want to see you anymore."

"It's not," he said and the seriousness in his eyes silenced any argument on her tongue. His eyes were resolute and in them she saw a whole future involving the both of them with Norah and little Queens and that frightened her a bit. Felicity Smoak was a poster child for bad relationships. Her college boyfriend had been arrested by the FBI and then died in prison and she didn't even want to muster up the thought of the boys she'd made trouble with in high school. Caitlin said it was because she had text book abandonment issues and Felicity couldn't argue that. When your own father walks away from you without a second thought or even an explanation, you tend to get self-esteem issues. Oliver Queen was unreal. He was literally the whole package: handsome, well-off, successful, responsible, compassionate, funny, loyal. And he wanted her? It didn't add up for her. Sure she was pretty and she was obviously smart. But she was also insecure, babbled a disgusting amount when she was nervous –which happened a lot – and just overall felt like a hot mess. Oliver Queen could surely do better.

But he wanted her.

Not just her; he wanted Norah as well. He had promised to love them both for as long as she would let him –and honestly, even if she told him no he would still probably love them. She was being handed a golden opportunity to love and share herself with a truly rare specimen of man. She didn't understand why he wanted her so much but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that _she_ wanted _him_. She wanted Oliver Queen the way she had wanted Norah. She wanted the opportunity to treat him as well as he treated her, to love him as much if not more than he loved her. She wanted to support him when he needed someone in his corner and she wanted to celebrate his successes with him. And just like Norah, she understood how precious he was, how lucky she was to be chosen by him.

"Felicity?" His voice jerked her from her thoughts and she looked up at him sheepishly. "I asked what you wanted to do today." He was smiling down at her warmly.

"What do you say we spend the day in? We can all get to know each other better," she said, smiling as Norah laid her head against his chest and her eyes grew heavy. "Besides, I think you already wore this little princess out." He awkwardly looked down at the small head against him and smiled.

"We had a busy morning," he said in mock seriousness. He leaned down, one large hand holding Norah's head steady against him and he placed a sweet kiss on Felicity's lips. "I will go put this one to bed for her nap and then you and I can have some alone time together." He walked away and Felicity smiled into her coffee mug, tempted to pinch herself.

Felicity might have fallen in love with Oliver Queen no matter what, but she was sure that seeing how much he loved her daughter after one night convinced her that she was on a fast track to being completely smitten with this man.


	9. Loser Like Me

**Real life is a pain. Sorry for the late update. We've had a lot going on (including my inspiration for this story's first birthday). I will try harder to keep up.**

 **The song for this chapter is Loser Like Me by the Glee Cast (the acoustic version).**

 **Connect with me!**  
 **Facebook: teamdemonmonkey fanfiction**  
 **Twitter: teamdemonmonkey**

 **Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Arrow or any of its characters.**

Chapter Nine:Loser Like Me

"You know it's hard to be your mother when I have to make an appointment with your secretary just to see you." Oliver looked up at his mother's voice from the doorway and cringed internally. If he was being honest –and he'd never admit it to her –he was actively avoiding her since she made a not-so-subtle comment about how he chose to spend his free time lately. He didn't expect her to understand but he hadn't appreciated her passing judgment on Felicity or Norah without even meeting them.

"Hello, Mother," he said cordially, putting on his best socialite smile. Her face remained the same –stony and impassive.

"I've been calling you," she said, moving further into the office and sitting delicately in a chair across from his desk.

"I know."

"We need to talk about this, Oliver." He rolled his eyes, unsurprised at her head strong, blunt approach.

"There's absolutely nothing to talk about. I'm seeing a woman, you don't approve. It's hardly a new situation for us. In fact, it seems to be the norm." Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Oliver, I love you. You are my son and I know that I haven't always approved of the women you've dated. But the fact that you haven't been in a relationship in five years and now suddenly, you're practically living with some woman with a child who isn't even hers is absolutely ridiculous. It crosses a line, even for your history."

"Tell me, Mother, what's more offensive to your sensibilities: that she has a child or that that child isn't biologically hers?"

"You have no idea where that child comes from. Her parents could be drugs dealers and it's all well and good now, while she's little and you are only dating this woman. But what happens if, God forbid, you marry her? What if they come looking to cash in on the child they abandoned? It's not safe for you or for this family."

"First of all, her parents won't ever come forward because they would be charged with child abandonment to the fullest extent of the law. Secondly, marrying Felicity would be far from a bad thing to happen to me. I realize that you and Dad treat marriage like an intolerable business contract but some of us would actually like to find love."

"Don't pretend you know about our relationship. Your father and I are happy with our arrangement and if it's good enough for us, it should be good enough for you. I've looked into this Felicity. Did you know that she was on the FBI's watchlist? Or that she committed computer terrorism and the only reason why she didn't end up in jail is because her boyfriend took the fall? Did you know that she isn't naturally blonde? And really, Oliver, how stable can she be? When a person finds an abandoned baby, they do their civic duty and take that child to the authorities; they simply don't just open up their home and adopt the foundling."

"You know, Mother, you have given me a lot of lectures in my lifetime. You've expressed your disappointment and disapproval so many times that I've lost count. But if you say another negative word about the woman I love or her daughter, you will learn very quickly that I am not above severing ties with you or this family. Felicity's past is what has made her the amazing person she is today. I'm certainly not one to judge on being on the wrong side of the law or are you forgetting how much you and Dad spent paying off the cops and judges in this city to avoid my going to jail? Felicity is warm and loving and when she adopted Norah, she did it because she wanted her to have a loving home and I commend that. Norah is beautiful and special and the fact that you continue to sit here and condescend to judge a woman and a baby, neither of whom you've ever met, shows me the truly low character you have. I should be thankful I didn't end up with a similar personal failing. Now, unless you have something nice to say, you can leave." Moira stared at her son, face frozen in anger, calculating the sincerity of his threats. Finally she stood, carefully adjusting her blazer and skirt before walking to the door.

"You know, Oliver," she said at the last minute turning. "You've always had money but maybe that's a privilege that we should revoke if you insist on endangering the family fortune."

"We both know that I lived without a fortune, Mother. And you and I both know that I know how to live without it quite happily. So threatening to cut me off isn't as effective a threat to me as it is to you. I've also been proactive enough to ensure I have other sources of income than you since you are the type of vindictive woman who would cut off her only son out of spite. So take it away. I genuinely could not care less. But if you do, you can say goodbye to our CEO. I won't stick around." Her face had soured before she stormed from the office. Oliver sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands before picking up his phone and dialing.

"Felicity Smoak's office," Felicity's chipper assistant greeted.

"Hey, Curtis, it's Oliver. Is Felicity available?"

"Hey, Oliver. Yeah, let me patch you through." Oliver waited patiently before the line picked up.

"You know, a girl could get distracted with a handsome man calling her at work out of the blue." Oliver smiled, Felicity's voice loosening his tension.

"It would be easier to resist calling if you weren't so beautiful," he teased and she laughed.

"That's me alright," she said sarcastically and he shook his head. One day he would convince her that she was beautiful. "What's up?"

"Well I just got a visit from my mother who decided to verbally abuse me and everyone I love. So that was fun."

"Sorry, honey. I wish there were something I could do."

"It's fine. I gave her no quarter," he said loftily and Felicity began to giggle. "What? I'm a man of sophistication with an advanced vocabulary."

"You're a dork is what you are," she teased and he laughed.

"Yeah but I have a nice butt, so it makes it worth putting up with me," he said waiting to hear her laugh.

"That is so true, it hurts. So what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice. And to ask if you would still love me if I wasn't obscenely wealthy."

"She went there, huh. Oliver, you and I both know that your money means nothing to me. Besides, I think you'd make a particularly attractive trophy husband." He started laughing and finally stopped, listening to her own laughter fade away over the line.

"I am so lucky I have you," he said earnestly.

"Pretty sure I'm the one who hit the jackpot, handsome."

"Maybe. I have to run to a meeting. Norah and I will see you at home as soon as I pick her up."

"Okay, see you at home," she said and he could hear the distracted tone that said she'd been pulled into something complicated and probably containing lots of zeros and ones.

"Love you," he said, warmth spreading through him.

"Love you too, baby. Bye."


End file.
